Breathless (Book 1&2)

Harder to Breathe #15.1

Harder to Breathe #15.1
Noreen

Sitio San Miguel
Present time

"Robb and I had a civil wedding few days after that," patuloy kong pagkwekwento kay Ron. "It was the only way to save what's left of us." yumuko ako matapos maalala lahat ng pagyayaring iyon. "No one knows about the wedding. It was hidden to the public eye. But the details blew up a week after it was held."

"Robb's family took over Wise Telecom. We failed to retain our company's name but standing behind the shadow of C-Mobile Telecom isn't bad too. Mom became member of the board and she regained her confidence. Robb's family utilized everything that has left of Wise."

"Noreen..." Ron called me out. It's obvious that he didn't know where he will find the right words to describe his feeling right now after kong sabihin sa kanya ang mga nangyari noon.

I let out a really deep sigh pero nabigla ako when Ron hugged me really tight and he began to cry. "I'm s-sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me the most."

I smiled saka hinaplos ang likod niya. "It's all in the past Ron. Isa pa, never kang nagkulang bilang kaibigan."

He sat straight bago inayos ang sarili. He still has a lot of questions in his mind at halata iyon sa mukha niya.

"I can't imagine the pain you had during those times. Imagine, you're alone in a foreign country. Wala kang kasama, wala kang makausap o mahingahan man lang. Tapos ginawa mo pang Morayta to Quiapo yung byahe mo sa UK!"

Hindi ko mapigilang matawa dahil sa huli niyang sinabi.

"Ewan ko, di ko talaga alam kung paano ko kinaya yun." Pag-amin ko.

Ron's face changed again, "Noreen, it's not that kinakampihan ko si Cloud, pero, you just rob his right off to be a good father to Keysha."

Napayuko ako matapos marinig ang sinabi niya. Wala akong maisagot dahil hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang isasagot ko doon.

I know and I am fully aware of my sin and God knows how I carried that for eight fucking years.

"Cloud has the right to know. He is the biological father after all!"

Mabilis akong umiling. "W-We can't, I can't ruin the life he hardly built. Cloud is in the position he deserves. May sarili na siyang mundo, ganun din kami ni Keysha."

"T-This is being unfair." Ron reasoned out. "You and Ate Chloe just made a decision about Cloud's life without him knowing. Hindi niyo ba naisip yun?" Umiwas ako ng tingin. "Naiintindihan ko yung malditang kapatid ni Cloud and believe me, naiintindihan din kita, pero paano naman si Cloud? Sino ang iintindi sa kanya? I'm pretty sure may sariling utak si Cloud capable of making decisions. Sana N-Noreen mas, m-mas nagtiwala ka sa kanya ng kaunti."

"Ron!"

"Look hindi ko sinasabi na ibalik mo kung anong meron kayo ni Cloud noon because clearly that's wrong lalo na ngayong kasal kana. What I am saying is, s-sana, sana binigyan niyo ng chance si Cloud na mag desisyon sa kung anong buhay ang gusto niya talaga!"

"Akala mo ba hindi mahirap para sa akin iyon? Yes, I know I'm wrong pero hindi ko rin naman intensyon na saktan siya at tanggalan siya ng karapatan. I was a mess and I can't pull him down with me at that time."

Ron took a deep breath to calm himself. Ganun din ako. This is the first time we had a conversation and argument like this and it is actually tiring.

"Sure ka ba?" Kumunot ang noo ko ng bigla niyang tinanong sa akin iyon.
"Na ano?"

"Na walang alam si Cloud tungkol kay Keysha?" I bitterly smiled and nodded at him.
"Y-Yes. He has no idea."

"How come? Nung bigla kang nagpakasal without informing anyone, alam ko umuwi siya nun. Hindi ba talaga kayo nagkita?"

Umiling ulit ako.

"N-No. Actually what happened was-,"

Sabay kaming napatingin ni Ron ng bumukas ang pinto sa office. It's lunch break already and people are getting back from field work.

Parang tatalsik ang puso ko dahil sa kaba ng magtama ang tingin namin ni Cloud. He stopped walking at kita ko ang pagkunot ng noo niya habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa akin at kay Ron.

Did he hear anything? No way! Impossible!

Ilang beses akong napalunok, bigla ring anong namawis kahit na malamig naman sa loob ng office, hindi parin siya gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan niya dahilan para di makapasok ang mga tao na nasa likod niya rin.

"C-Cloud..." bati ko sa kanya and gave an awkward smile. Lalong kumunot ang noo niya but this time tuluyan na siyang lumakad papasok. Ron awkwardly waved at him too. Naglakad siya papalapit sa aming dalawa dahilan para maging triple ang kabang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

"What is it?" he asked "What did you do again this time?"

"H-Huh? Eh?"